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Imphal: At least four militants were killed and another injured on Wednesday when rival Naga armed groups fought a gunfight in Manipur’s Noney district, officials said.
Police sources said three of the dead belonged to the Zeliangrong United Front (Jenchui faction), or ZUF(J), and one to the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN-IM). The clash took place at Taodaizing village, in the Khoupum area of the Naga-majority district.
Key takeaways
- Four militants are dead. Three were from ZUF(J) and one from NSCN-IM, according to police sources.
- At least one more person was injured. The condition and identity of the injured have not been disclosed.
- The fighting was long. Officials said the gunfight began in the early hours and continued for several hours.
- Locals recovered the bodies. Villagers reached the dead before security personnel did.
- Women stepped in. Residents went to the spot and used a public address system to urge the cadres to stop firing.
- The state government is reacting. The Chief Minister has asked security agencies to identify active armed groups behind recent violence, and warned of tougher action.
What we know and what we don’t
| Detail | Status |
|---|---|
| Location | Taodaizing village, Khoupum area, Noney district |
| Time | Early hours of Wednesday; firing began around 4 am |
| Killed | Four militants: three from ZUF(J), one from NSCN-IM, per police sources |
| Injured | At least one; count and identity not confirmed |
| Duration | Several hours, per initial reports |
| Bodies | Recovered by local residents |
| Cause of the clash | Not officially stated |
| Arrests | None reported so far |
How the day unfolded
According to officials, a heavy exchange of fire broke out before dawn between cadres of rival Naga outfits. It did not end quickly. Initial reports say the shooting went on for several hours, leaving four men dead and another injured.
Villagers were the first to reach the bodies. Then residents, women among the most visible, walked toward the site to try to stop the fighting. They appealed over a public address system for the cadres to hold their fire, officials said. Reports suggest many residents were also leaving the area as the violence unfolded, though officials have not confirmed how many families moved out.
Government response
The clash came a day after a law-and-order review in Imphal. A senior official in the Chief Minister’s Office said Yumnam Khemchand Singh asked senior security officials on Tuesday night to identify the active armed groups suspected of involvement in recent violence in the state. Groups engaged in peace talks with the state government were excluded from the exercise.
The Chief Minister also told the Army and central paramilitary forces to submit a detailed report on those groups as soon as possible. If their involvement in violence against civilians is established, the official said, the state Cabinet would be forced to consider declaring them unlawful. The Chief Minister made clear that action would follow against any group that continues to target civilians.
It is not clear whether the Wednesday gunfight, which involved militants rather than civilians, falls within that exercise. Officials have not said.
A long-running rivalry
ZUF and NSCN-IM have clashed repeatedly in this belt of Manipur, particularly across Noney and the neighbouring Tamenglong district, often over territory and influence. Both groups have been under ceasefire arrangements with the Government of India at various points, yet they have fought each other on many occasions.
Noney has seen such violence recently. A gunfight at Kekru Naga village on the morning of October 31 was reported to have killed three people. Officials have not said whether Wednesday’s clash is linked to it.
Police are expected to take charge of the bodies, formally identify the dead and establish the full casualty count. No arrests have been announced. Officials said further details are awaited.
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